In Mass, new pope urges protection of nature, weak

New pontiff mixes informally with faithful before installation Mass

8:46 PM,
Mar. 19, 2013

Written by

Eric J. Lyman
| USA Today

Pope Francis used his installation Mass on Tuesday to tell world leaders and 200,000 people in attendance that they need to protect the environment, the weakest and the poorest, and to let tenderness "open up a horizon of hope."

The former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was inaugurated as the 266th occupant of the Throne of St. Peter.

He was elected last week to replace Pope Benedict XVI, 85, who last month became the first pope to retire in six centuries. ...